Disabling device for dispenser for tablets

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for tablets comprises a container which has a bottom with an eccentrically located opening, a tongue disposed at a distance above said opening and a rotor element which is rotatably mounted intermediate said bottom and said tongue. The rotor has recesses each of which successively coming into register with the bottom opening when said rotor is rotated. The rotor further has a central hole serving as a journal for a relatively long shaft which in its lower part merges into a bowl member and in its upper part has coupling members which when the shaft is in its lowermost position may cooperate with corresponding coupling members of the rotor such that said rotor will follow a rotational movement of the bowl. In this position the bowl is situated at a distance below the bottom of the container. When the shaft is in its uppermost position the bowl sealingly contacts the bottom of the container or parts connected thereto.

United States Patent 1 1 3,921,851 Nilson Nov. 25, 1975 DISABLING DEVICE FOR DISPENSER FOR Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves TABLETS Assistant ExaminerFrancis J. Bartuska [76] Inventor: Billy N. Nilson, Finnstugatan 30, Agem 595 99 M olby, Sweden [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed 1974 A dispenser for tablets comprises a container which [21] Appl Nos 445,604 has a bottom with an eccentrically located opening, a tongue disposed at a distance above said opening and a rotor element which is rotatably mounted intermedi- [52] US. Cl. 221/151; 215/9; 221/265 ate i bottom and said tohgue The rotor has feces [51] Int. Cl. B65D 83/04 ses each f which successively Coming into register [58] Field of Search 221/265, 152; 215/9; with the bottom opening when said rotor is rotated. 206/540 The rotor further has a central hole serving as a journal for a relatively long shaft which in its lower part [56] References Cited merges into a bowl member and in its upper part has UNITED STATES PATENTS coupling members which when the shaft is in its lower- 3,241,712 3 1966 Sacchetti et al. 221/265 most Position y Cooperate with Corresponding 3,245,5s9 4/1966 Temliak 221/265 x pl g members of the rotor such that said rotor will 3,730,387 5/1973 McConnell et a1. 221/265 follow a rotational movement of the bowl. In this posi- 5, 9 H dela d 221/265 tion the bowl is situated at a distance below the bot- Kemp X tom of th ontainer when the haft is in its upper. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS most position the bowl sealingly contacts the bottom 2,015,221 10/1971 Germany 215/9 h miner or Parts connected thereto 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 FIG. I

DlSABLlNG DEVICE FOR DISPENSER FOR TABLETS The present invention relates to a so called tablet dispenser i.e. a device to dispense pills or tablets from jars, tubes or the like.

The object of the invention has been to provide such a dispenser including a bowl for collecting the dispensed tablets, which dispenser by means of a simple hand grip may be air-tightly closed, is easy to manufacture and to use and which has an estethically appealing appearance.

To accomplish these and other objects the invention has the characteristics disclosed in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings an examplifying embodiment of the invention is shown. In the drawing FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the new dispenser.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main member of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a distributor or rotor included in the dispenser.

The dispenser shown, in FIG. 1-3 comprises a main member 1 designed as a tube breast and as well as the rest of the members suitably made from a plastic material or the like. This main member 1 includes a sleeve shaped member 2 provided with a bottom 3 which has a dispensing hole 4 through which a tablet may pass. A cover member shaped as a tongue 5 is positioned above the dispensing hole 5, said tongue extending substantially radially outwardly and being intended to prevent tablets from directly falling through the hole 4 from the space positioned above. The main member 1 also includes a central, upwardly directed guiding sleeve 6 provided with an upper flange. A distributor means shaped as a rotor 7 is journalled around said guiding sleeve and fixed in the axial direction by means of the flange thereof, the height of said rotor suitably exceeding the greatest dimension of the tablets to be dispensed and the periphery thereof having a number of recesses 8, each one of such a size that it may receive a tablet. The rotor has a central hole 9 and in case this hole is circular the rotor may have one or more holes 10 on the upper side thereof. These holes 10 are intended to co-operate with correspondingly shaped downwardly directed projections 10' extending from the upper part 14 of an operating means generally designated by reference numeral 1 1. This operating means has a portion shaped as a cover 12 and a pin 13 project- .ing therefrom perpendicular to the cover and intended to be guided in the guiding sleeve 6. The upper part 14 .of the operating means is conical in shape and serves as a distributor and makes the tablets fall down in a direction towards the recesses 8 in the rotor. By turning the rotor by means of the operating means 11 which by means of the projections brings the first mentioned part into the turning motion one of the tablets contained in the spaces 8 is brought to the space above the dispensing hole 4 and the actual tablet may thereby fall down into the cover 12 which as may be seen in the drawing suitably has an annular outer flange terminating in an inwardly directed bead l5. Hereby is obtained that the cover partly serves as a collecting bowl for the tablets and partly serves as a closure in the pushed in position thereof by gripping the edge portion of the bottom surface 3 of the main member 1. By the bead l5 engaging this edge portion the cover is also locked in this position in which it defines an effective and tight closure.

1 claim:

1. A dispenser for tablets intended to be secured to or integral with a container such as a jar comprising a bottom having an opening for a tablet, a rotatably mounted distributor means positioned above said bottom and provided with at least one opening through which tablets may pass, a covering means positioned above said distributor means and in vertical alignment with the dispensing opening of said bottom, said bottom in addition to said dispensing opening having a central opening, a stud extending through said central opening wherein said stud apart from a rotational movement may also perform a displacement movement in its axial direction, said stud having coupling means in the upper part thereof, coupling means on said distributor means capable of engaging said stud coupling means in a first axial position of said stud thereby enabling said distributor means to be rotated by means of said stud and to be out of contact with said coupling means of said distributor means in a second axial position of said stud, said stud in the lower end thereof merging into a cap member of approximately the same diameter as said bottom, said cap member further having an annular upwardly directed flange provided with a bead, said bottom part having a configuration which by a snap action may engage said bead to hold said cap member in a transport and storage position close to and in sealingly engagement with said bottom when said stud is in said second axial position while said flange in said first axial position of said stud forms a rim to prevent tablets dispensed from the container from leaving said cap member.

2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom has a centrally disposed guiding sleeve for said stud of the cap member and said guiding sleeve has in the upper part thereof a flange which upwardly limits the displacement of said distributor means. 

1. A dispenser for tablets intended to be secured to or integral with a container such as a jar comprising a bottom having an opening for a tablet, a rotatably mounted distributor means positioned above said bottom and provided with at least one opening through which tablets may pass, a covering means positioned above said distributor means and in vertical alignment with the dispensing opening of said bottom, said bottom in addition to said dispensing opening having a central opening, a stud extending through said central opening wherein said stud apart from a rotational movement may also perform a displacement movement in its axial direction, said stud having coupling means in the upper part thereof, coupling means on said distributor means capable of engaging said stud coupling means in a first axial position of said stud thereby enabling said distributor means to be rotated by means of said stud and to be out of contact with said coupling means of said distributor means in a second axial position of said stud, said stud in the lower end thereof merging into a cap member of approximately the same diameter as said bottom, said cap member further having an annular upwardly directed flange provided with a bead, said bottom part having a configuration which by a snap action may engage said bead to hold said cap member in a transport and storage position close to and in sealingly engagement with said bottom when said stud is in said second axial position while said flange in said first axial position of said stud forms a rim to prevent tablets dispensed from the container from leaving said cap member.
 2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom has a centrally disposed guiding sleeve for said stud of the cap member and said guiding sleeve has in the upper part thereof a flange which upwardly limits the displacement of said distributor means. 